Hemang Joshi remained blissfully unaware of what would unfold next after sitting MP Ranjan Bhatt unexpectedly withdrew from the race, despite being renominated by the BJP for the Vadodara Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat.

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While attending a musical program on Holi with his wife, Mr. Joshi received numerous congratulatory calls, revealing to him that the BJP had chosen him as its candidate for the Vadodara seat. At 33 years old, Mr. Joshi becomes the youngest candidate fielded by the BJP in Gujarat, a state that elects 26 MPs.

What did the youngest BJP candidate from Vadodara say?

In an interview with news agency PTI, Mr. Joshi, the young BJP leader, expressed his acknowledgment of the significant responsibility ahead, recognizing the challenge of filling the large shoes left by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who won from Vadodara in 2014 before moving to Varanasi.

Mr. Joshi aims to secure victory by a margin of over 10 lakh votes, a target set by their state chief C R Paatil. All seats in the state will undergo polls in the third phase on May 7.

“I had not even dreamt of getting the ticket. It came as a matter of immense surprise to me,” he said.

While the victory margin target for other seats is 5 lakh votes, Paatil has set it at 10 lakh in Vadodara, Mr. Joshi mentioned. He is included in a list of India’s 40 young leaders under 40 by media platform Fox Story India.

His words on PM Modi

Mr. Bhatt had won the Vadodara bypoll in 2014 after PM Modi vacated the seat for Varanasi. She won again in 2019 but faced internal rebellion in the local BJP unit, leading to her decision to withdraw from the polls last month.

Mr. Joshi, a former student leader, was chosen for the candidacy a day after her announcement.

But as soon as his nomination became official, he received several calls from the party’s state and national leadership offering support.

Mr. Joshi also highlighted the support of the constituency’s young voters.

He emphasized that he represents the Modi government’s efforts to mobilize the country’s young population towards making India a developed nation by 2047.

Mr. Joshi pointed out that when PM Modi launched the ‘sankalp patra’ (manifesto), he stated it reflects the aspirations and expectations of the country’s youth.

Joshi talks about Sankalp Yatra

“The sankalp patra contains many points that will remain relevant even a century from now. Among the four key points – Garib, Yuva, Annadata, and Nari (GYAN) – Yuva (youth) play a significant role. PM Modi emphasizes that much of what we aspire to achieve depends on the youth,” he said.

When asked about the ambitious target of a 10 lakh vote victory margin, Mr. Joshi said Vadodara has traditionally been a BJP stronghold.

“People from all walks of life and across caste lines have shown a liking for the BJP. Vadodara has also been PM Modi’s karmabhumi. Therefore, here, our task is not to campaign for the party but to rekindle and strengthen the existing bond between the people and the party,” he said.

Mr. Joshi, the vice chairman of the municipal primary school board, previously served as the general secretary of the students’ union at Maharaja Sayajirao University as a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the RSS.

He mentioned completing a leadership course in education from IIM Ahmedabad and is currently pursuing a PhD in leadership. His wife works as an assistant professor in a medical college.

The BJP has maintained its winning streak in Vadodara in Lok Sabha elections since 1998. The constituency has elected three women MPs since 1991.

Mr. Joshi is competing against Congress’ Jaspalsinh Padhiyar, a former MLA from Padra.

Vadodara will not accept congress

“Vadodara’s people do not accept Congress’ mindset. When they declined the invitation for Ram Mandir, it amounted to ‘praja droh’ (betrayal of the people),” he said.

Describing sitting MP Bhatt as a highly cultured party worker, Mr. Joshi mentioned that she continues to offer guidance.

Regarding internal party conflicts, he noted that emotions can lead to impulsiveness at times.

“However, this election is about Narendra Modi. People are not voting for Hemang Joshi but for Narendra Modi to secure a third term as prime minister,” Mr. Joshi added.

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